I hold Atlanta with the 20th corps, and have strong detachments along my line.

This reduces my active force to a comparatively small army.

We cannot remain here on the defensive.

With the twenty-five thousand men, and the bold cavalry he has, he can constantly break my roads.

I would infinitely prefer to make a wreck of the road, and of the country from Chattanooga to Atlanta including the latter city send back all my wounded and worthless, and with my effective army, move through Georgia, smashing things, to the sea.